Cobra Resources Appoints Former Rio Tinto Executive Stephen McIntosh as Strategic & Technical Advisor

Cobra Resources has appointed Stephen McIntosh as Strategic and Technical Advisor to support the advancement of its Boland heavy rare earth in situ recovery (ISR) project through technical and economic studies and to accelerate exploration at its Manna Hill copper project. McIntosh brings 39 years of global experience in the resources sector, including 33 years at Rio Tinto, where he served as Group Executive, Growth and Innovation, and previously as global Head of Exploration. He currently holds advisory and board roles across EMR Capital, Andina Copper, IMDEX, Chalice Mining, and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency.

Company Overview

Cobra Resources (LSE: COBR) is a South Australian critical minerals developer advancing assets across all stages of the pre-production pathway. In 2023, the company identified the Boland ionic rare earth discovery at its Wudinna Project in the Gawler Craton, described as Australia's only rare earth project suitable for in situ recovery (ISR) mining, a low-cost, low-disturbance method that removes the need for excavation. In 2025, it optioned the Manna Hill Copper Project in the Nackara Arc and sold its Wudinna Gold Assets to Barton Gold for up to A$15 million in cash and shares.

The advisory appointment

Strategic and Technical Advisor to Cobra, Stephen McIntosh, will support the advancement of the Boland heavy rare earth project through technical and economic studies and accelerate exploration at the Manna Hill copper project.

Managing Director of Cobra Resources, Rupert Verco, frames the rationale for the appointment:

"We are excited to have secured the services of Stephen McIntosh, whose experience across exploration discovery, project development, and technical innovation is first class. His experience will be invaluable when advising the team through commercial strategy, project studies, and delivering project value."

The role draws on a career built across exploration, discovery, project development, and technical services in the global resources sector.

Three decades at Rio Tinto

McIntosh spent 33 of his 39 years in the resources sector at Rio Tinto, culminating in the role of Group Executive, Growth and Innovation. In that position, he was accountable for most of Rio Tinto's global technical functions, including exploration, studies, construction, technical services, IT, and data science. He had previously served as the company's global Head of Exploration.

McIntosh was involved in the management, exploration, evaluation, and discovery of many of Rio Tinto's historic discoveries. He retired from Rio Tinto in late 2020.

Current advisory & directorship roles

McIntosh is a senior advisor to EMR Capital, a private equity company focused on the resources sector, and provides strategic counsel to Andina Copper. Until January 2026, he chaired Datarock Holdings, a computer vision, artificial intelligence, and machine learning start-up focused on the resources sector, which IMDEX acquired at that time, and he continues to consult for IMDEX. He also chairs the project advisory committee at Chalice Mining, advancing the Gonneville palladium-nickel-copper project in Western Australia through its economic studies phases. He is a director at the Federal Government's Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and advises the Monash University-led Critical Minerals Consortium think tank.

McIntosh is clear on his focus at Cobra:

"I am excited to be able to work with the Cobra team as they seek to advance their unique heavy rare earth project through technical and economic studies and to also support their exploration efforts at the Manna Hill copper project, which bears the potential for a significant discovery."

Next steps

McIntosh will advise Cobra's management on commercial strategy and project studies as the company progresses its rare earth and copper assets.